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[COMMITTEE PRINT]
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN
ACTIVITIES TO THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, EIGHTIETH CONGRESS
INVESTIGATION OF
UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES IN THE
UNITED STATES /
COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
, c * __ HOUSE Of REPRESENTATIVES
EIGHTIETH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
Public Law 601
(Section 121, Subsection Q (2) )
DECEMBER 31, 1948
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
83400 WASHINGTON : 1949
COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
J. PARNELL THOMAS, New Jersey, Chairman
KARL E. MUNDT, South Dakota JOHN S. WOOD, Georgia
JOHN MCDOWELL, Pennsylvania JOHN E. RANKIN, Mississippi
RICHARD M. NIXON, California J. HARDIN PETERSON, Florida
RICHARD B. VAIL, Illinois F. EDWARD HEBERT, Louisiana
Robert E. Stripling, Chief Investigator
Benjamin Mandel, Director of Research
II
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN
ACTIVITIES TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIVES, EIGHTIETH CONGRESS
The end of 1948 marks the close of the most active and productive
period in the history of the House Committee on Un-American
Activities. By virtue of the authority conferred upon it by Public
Law 601 (sec. 121, subsec. Q, (2) ), giving the committee certain special
functions not applicable to any other agency of the Government, the
committee is in a position to report the following highlights of its
record.f or the past 2 years :
1. For the first time in the 30-year history of the Communist
Party of the United States, the committee made a full exposure of the
activities of a representative of the Communist International, operat-
ing illegally in this country for more than a decade, namely Gerhart
Eisler, alias Hans Berger, Edwards, Gerhard, Samuel Liptzen, etc.,
and now a subject of prosecution by the Justice Department.
2. Extensive hearings dealt with Communist penetration of the
motion-picture industry.
3. The operations of the International Music Bureau with head-
quarters in Moscow and reaching into Hollywood through Hanns
Eisler, were the subject of public hearings.
4. Leon Josephson, for many years an international operative for
the world Communist movement and official procurer of false pass-
ports, was brought into the public spotlight for the first time and
brought before the bar of justice.
5. The proceedings in connection with Gerhart Eisler, Leon Joseph-
son, Hanns Eisler, and others, demonstrated the operations of a vast
Communist passport ring.
6. Continuing its efforts to demonstrate the aims and methods of
Communist penetration of labor unions, the committee conducted
hearings dealing with such activities in the United Automobile Work-
ers Union, CIO, the United Electrical, Kadio and Machine Workers
of America, CIO, and the Food, Tobacco and Agricultural Workers,
CIO.
7. Eugene Dennis, general secretary of the Communist Party of the
United States, was brought before the committee. His full record
and many aliases were noted. He has been cited and convicted for
contempt of Congress.
8. For the first time in the history of Soviet- American relations,
the House of Representatives was apprised through our committee of
the practice of "legal" espionage by the Amtorg Trading Corp., an
official Soviet commercial agency.
9. For the first time in the history of Congress, the committee
inaugurated a series of public hearings on bills to curb or outlaw
the Communist Party of the United States. The Attorney General
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
and outstanding members of the legal profession, as well as leading
public men, participated. As a result, an authoritative body of data
was collected on this hitherto neglected subject and the committee
introduced H. R. 5852, known as the Mundt-Nixon bill, which was
adopted by an overwhelming vote of the House of Representatives.
10. The committee initiated an exhaustive investigation into espio-
nage in the field of atomic energy and its findings were embodied into
a report entitled ''Report on Soviet Espionage Activities in Connec-
tion With the Atom Bomb."
11. The operations and activities of Communists in the United
States were the subject of testimony by J. Edgar Hoover, Director
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and such witnesses as Louis
F. Budenz, former managing editor of the Daily Worker, and Victor
A. Kravchenko, former Soviet representative.
12. In a series of hearings the operations of a Communist espionage
ring operating through top-flight Government officials during the
past 10 years were revealed through the testimony of Elizabeth T.
Bentley and Whittaker Chambers, former members of the ring.
13. The committee has published a series of reports on various
phases of the Communist problem in the interest of public enlighten-
ment in this field, notably :
The Communist Party of the United States as an Agent of a Foreign Power (26,000
copies ) .
The Communist Party of the United States as an Advocate of Overthrow of Gov-
ernment by Force and Violence ( 8,000 copies. )
The American Youth for Democracy (6,000 copies.)
The Southern Conference for Human Welfare (3,000 copies.)
Report on the Civil Rights Congress as a Communist Front (3,000 copies.)
100 Things You Should Know About Communism in the USA (507,000 copies.)
100 Things You Should Know About Communism and Religion (17,000 copies.)
100 Things You Should Know About Communism and Education (23,000 copies.)
100 Things You Should Know About Communism and Labor (22,000 copies.)
100 Things You Should Know About Communism and Government (20,000 copies.)
Citations by Official Government Agencies of Organizations and Publications
Found to be Communist or Communist Fronts (2,300 copies.)
The intense interest of the country in these publications is demon-
strated by the fact that our supply of these publications is almost
exhausted at this time. In a number of instances committee reports
were reprinted in full or in major part by newspapers throughout the
country.
Eight-Point Program
Early in 1947 the committee adopted the following eight-point pro-
gram which outlined the scope of its activities. This program furnishes
an appropriate standard by which the work of the committee should
be judged.
1. To expose and ferret out the Communists and Communist sym-
pathizers in the Federal Government.
2. To spotlight the spectacle of having outright Communists con-
trolling and dominating some of the most vital unions in American
labor.
3. To institute a countereducational program against the subversive
propaganda which has been hurled at the American people.
4. Investigation of those groups and movements which are trying
to dissipate our atomic bomb knowledge for the benefit of a foreign
power.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
5. Investigation of Communist influences in Hollywood.
6. Investigation of Communist influences in education.
7. Organization of the research staff so as to furnish reference
service to Members of Congress and to keep them currently informed
on all subjects relating to subversive and un- American activities in
the United States.
8. Continued accumulation of files and records to be placed at the
disposal of the investigative units of the Government and armed
services.
Opposition to the Committee
In a sense the storm of opposition to the activities of the committee
is a tribute to its achievements in the field of exposure of those who
threaten our national security. It is to the credit of the great mass
of the American people that they have not been blinded to the major
issues involved and the solid and far-reaching importance of the com-
mittee's work by the raising of minor procedural issues or attempts to
belittle the work of the committee through pett} 7 ridicule. In the main
such opposition has come from the following sources :
1. The Communists and their close fellow travelers who fear
exposure.
2. Those who have been duped or compromised by the Communists
and who seek to cover up their own gullibility.
3. Those who are too naive to believe that there is a serious Com-
munist menace to our way of life.
Never in the history of this committee has it encountered so extensive
and highly coordinated an effort to challenge its authority, by organiza-
tions and individuals of a subversive character seeking to shelter their
activities behind legal safeguards. They outline the nature of Com-
munist legal strategy before investigative and judicial bodies. These
challenges have fallen within the following categories, which in some
cases have been the subject of court review and decision :
1. Refusal to produce official records on grounds that such a request
is outside the scope of the committee.
2. Charge that the committee is illegal and unconstitutional, both in
the manner in which the authority given to it by the Congress has been
executed, and by the terms of that authority itself.
3. Refusal to answer questions regarding political or other affilia-
tions on the grounds that they do not fall within the purview of the
committee's authority, and that such questions violate the provisions
of the first amendment.
4. Denial of the right of the committee to compel a witness to testify.
5. Charge that the committee's investigations are an intrusion upon
the judicial function which is invested in the judiciary according to
article III of the Constitution.
6. Charge that the committee is illegally constituted by reason of
the violation of the fourteenth amendment in the election of one of
its members.
7. Refusal to answer questions under the privilege extended by the
fifth amendment of the Constitution against self-incrimination.
The authority of the committee has been upheld by a number of
recent decisions of the courts, in test cases of precedent-making im-
portance.
4 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
Authority Upheld by the Courts
leon josephson
The case of Leon Josephson before the United States Circuit Court
of Appeals for the Second Circuit on December 9, 1947, provided an
early test of the committee's power. Josephson had refused to be
sworn or to testify at a hearing held on March 5, 1947. The court
found that the committee had been established under Public Law 601,
Seventy-ninth Congress, and House Resolution No. 5 of the Eightieth
Congress, and that Josephson had been indicted under Title 2, United
States Code, section 192. The latter statute provides insofar as pres-
ently pertinent that —
Every person who having been summoned as a witness by the authority of
either House of Congress to give testimony or to produce papers upon any matter
under inquiry before either House * * * or any committee of either House
of Congress, willfully makes default, or who, having appeared, refuses to answer
any question pertinent to the question under inquiry, shall be deemed guilty of a
misdemeanor * * * (Rev. Stat. sec. 102, as amended, 52 Stat. 942, 2 U. S. C. A.
sec. 192)
The court further recognized that —
The Committee on Un-American Activities has been duly authorized under
the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 to conduct investigations.
in line with the provisions of Public Law 601.
The court ruled that —
At the very least, the language of the authorizing statute permits investigating
the advocacy of the idea that the Government or the Constitutional system of the
United States should be overthrown by force rather than by the peaceful process
of amendment of the Constitution set forth in Article V * * *
Surely, matters which potentially affect the very survival of our Government
are by no means the purely personal concern of anyone. And investigations into
such matters are inquiries relating to the personal affairs of private idividuals
only to the extent that those individuals are a part of the Government as a
whole. ( U. S. v. Josephson. )
The court fully agreed with the opinion of Judge Holtzoff in
United States v. Btyan (D. D. C. 72 F. Supp. 58, 62) :
That the subject of un-American and subversive activities is within the inves-
tigating power of the Congress is obvious. Conceivably, information in this field
may aid the Congress in legislating concerning any one of many matters, such as
correspondence with foreign governments (U. S. C. A. title 18, sec. 5) ; seditious
conspiracy (Id. sec. 9) ; prohibition of undermining the morale of the armed
forces (Id. sec. 9) ; suppression of advocacy of overthrow of the Government
(Id. sec. 10) ; the registration of organizations carrying on certain types of propa-
ganda (Id. sees. 14 and 15) ; qualifications for entering and remaining in Gov-
ernment service; the authorization of governmental radio broadcasts to other
countries; and other innumerable topics. (U. S. v. Josephson.)
Answering the appellant's argument seeking recourse in the first
amendment of the Constitution to the effect that the committee's power
to investigate is limited by Congress' power to legislate, that Congress
is prohibited from legislating upon matters of thought, speech, or
opinion and hence a statute empowering a congressional committee
to investigate such matters is unconstitutional, the court held :
But clearly Congress can and should legislate to curtail this freedom at least
where there is a "clear and present danger" that its exercise would, as by armed
rebellion or external attack, imperil the country and its constitutional system,
including, until amended, the peaceful process of amendment. (Sehcnck v. United
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES 5
States, 249 U. S. 47, 52.) Such legislation might ultimately be the only means for
the preservation of this freedom * * *
The appellant's argument runs counter to the very purpose of the first amend-
ment. The power of Congress to gather facts of the most intense public concern,
such as these, is not diminished by the unchallenged right of individuals to speak
their minds within lawful limits. When speech, or propaganda, or whatever it
may at the moment be called, clearly presents an immediate danger to national
security, the protection of the first amendment ceases.
In common with other witnesses appearing before our committee,
the appellant demanded protection under the "equal protection of the
laws" clause of the fourteenth amendment and the denial of due proc-
cess clause of the fifth amendment to the Constitution. The court ruled
as follows on this point :
Certainly, if the question were one of Congress' legislating, it could validly
legislate regarding one type of propaganda and not another, at least if there
were a clear and present danger from the former and not the latter * * *
Clearly the congressional power to investigate is as flexible as its power to legis-
late, once the latter power is established. That it is established, at least for
purposes of this case, seems abundantly clear.
On December 20, 1948, the United States Supreme Court refused to
review the case of Leon Josephson.
EDWARD K. BARSKY, ET AL.
The case of Edward K. Barsky, et dl., Appellants v. United States of
America, Appellee, was decided by the United States Court of Ap-
peals, District of Columbia, on March 18, 1948. Involved in this case
was the failure of Dr. Edward K. Barsky and his fellow officials of
the Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee, to produce the records
of their association. The court held :
We are unable to visualize the particular in which civil rights are violated by
a requirement that persons who collect funds from the public in this country for
relief purposes abroad account for the collection and distribution of such funds.
The appellants further contended that the congressional committee
was unconstitutional because it authorized inquiry into political opin-
ion and expression, in violation of the first amendment. The Court's
decision on this question bears directly upon other cases before this
Committee in which similar objection was raised. The court rules :
We hold that in view of the representations to the Congress as to the nature,
purposes and programs of Communism and the Communist Party, and in view
of the legislation proposed, pending and possible in respect to or premised upon
that subject, and in view of the involvement of that subject in the foreign policy
of the Government, Congress has power t<i make inquiry of an individual which
may elicit the answer that the witness is a believer in communism or a member of
the Communist Party. And we further hold that the provision we have quoted
from House Resolution No. 5 is sufficiently clear, definite and authoritative to
permit this particular committee to make that particular inquiry.
GERHART EISLER
On February 6, 1947, Gerhart Eisler appeared before the Committee
on Un-American Activities and refused to be sworn in. He demanded
instead, the right to submit a lengthy typewritten statement. Testi-
mony before the committee established that Gerhart Eisler, alias Hans
Berger, Gerhard, Edwards, Brown, Julius Eisman, and Samuel
Liptzin, although denying before the Immigration and Naturaliza-
6 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
tion Service on June 14, 1941, that he was or had ever been a member
of the Communist Party or any Communist organization, was in fact
"an important international Communist and responsible representa-
tive of the Communist International."
Under the name of Edwards' he had served in this capacity from
1933 until 1938 "by virtue of which position," according to J. Edgar
Hoover, "he was responsible for and instrumental in the determina-
tion of American Communist policy and the control and direction of
American Communist operations," and "actually the liaison between
the Comintern and the authorities in Moscow and the Communist
Party, U. S. A." He had sworn before the immigration authorities
that he had never previously been in the United States.
It was further established that Gerhart Eisler had traveled on a
false passport in 1934 under the name of Samuel Liptzin, the passport
application being made out by Leon Josephson. Liptzin is a promi-
nent Communist Party official on the staff of one of its organs, Morn-
ing Freiheit.
It is interesting to note that William Odell Nowell, a student at the
Lenin School in Moscow, who testified to meeting Eisler in both Moscow
and Detroit, also mentioned among those he met in Moscow the fol-
lowing : Beatrice Siskind, now held for deportation as a member of an
organization advocating the overthrow of government by force and
violence; Steve Nelson, shown by recent testimony before our com-
mittee to have been involved in espionage concerning information on
atomic energ} T ; Jack Stachel, later mentioned as a leader of the inner
circle of Communist leaders in liaison with the underground appa-
ratus; Earl Browcler, former general secretary of the Communist
Party, U. S. A. and Morris Chilcls (Chilofsky), former editor of the
Daily Worker. In other words we have here an impressive picture of
American Communist officials operating at headquarters in Moscow.
Further testimony disclosed that Eisler had been active in the Ger-
man, Chinese, and Austrian Communist Parties and that he was a
notorious, international terrorist, and operative for the GPU, the
Soviet secret terrorist organization.
Louis F. Budenz, former managing editor of the Daily Worker,
testified that on a number of occasions, Eisler had been in contact with
Samuel Carr, alias Kogan, organizing secretary of the Communist
Party of Canada, who was involved in the Communist spy ring in
Canada according to the report of the Canadian Royal Commission.
Though an illegal alien, Gerhart Eisler had not hesitated in his
articles to attack Secretary of State Byrnes, General Wedemeyer, and
Governor Dewey. He was even sufficiently powerful to discipline
William Z. Foster, chairman of the Communist Party, U. S. A., and
Clarence Hathaway, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Worker. Among
other international Communist agents, with whom he had been in
contact, Budenz mentioned Brown, alias Alpi, alias Mariano; J. V.
Peters, alias Roberts, alias Stevens.
Listed as references on Eisler's application to depart dated Septem-
ber 5, 1945, are Dr. Edward K. Barsky and Helen Bryan of the Joint
Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee, who have been cited and convicted
for contempt of Congress. This organization furnished Eisler with
funds during his stay in the United States.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES 7
The committee's action in the case of Gerhart Eisler lias been fully
upheld by the courts as the following record will show :
Contempt of Congress. — February IS, 1947, cited for contempt of Congress by
House of Representatives. February 28, 1947. indicted by Federal grand jury
in District of Columbia. June 10. 1947, convicted of contempt of Congress. June
27, 1947, sentenced for contempt of Congress to 1 year in jail and $1,090 fine by
Judge Alexander Holtzoff of District Court in District of Columbia ; freed pending
appeal.
Court of Appeals. — April 5, 1948, argued before Justices Clark, Prettynian, and
Proctor. June 14, 1948, opinion affirmed. June 17, 1948, order denying petition
for rehearing. August 10, 1948, order staying mandate to September 1, 1948.
September 3, 1948, order granting motion to authorize clerk to transmit original
transcript of record to Supreme Court.
Supreme Court. — (Case No. 255) August 31, 1948, petition for certiorari filed.
Passport Fraud Case. — April 14, 1947, indicted on three counts of passport
fraud by Federal grand jury in District of Columbia. August 15, 1947, convicted
of passport fraud in District Court of United States in District of Columbia.
Justice James W. Morris presiding ; freed under $20,000 bond and deferred sen-
tence while defense tiled motions. February 2, 1948, motion for new trial, here-
tofore argued, was denied. March 24, 1948, sentenced on charge of passport fraud
to serve 1 to 3 years in jail consecutively following the 1 year sentence imposed
for contempt of Congress. Allowed to remain at large on $20,000 bond pending
appeal.
Court of Appeals. — July 28, 1948, record filed. August 10, 1948, order extending
time to September 30, 1948, to file appellant's brief.
The committee deplores the fact, however, that this international
criminal has been permitted to remain at large for nearly 2 years to
continue to carry on his nefarious activities, a case showing up glar-
ingly the inadequacy of our present laws and prosecution machinery.
HANNS EISLER
On September 24, 25, and 26, 1947, the committee held hearings deal-
ing with the case of Hanns Eisler, brother of Gerhart Eisler. Hands
Eisler had been acclaimed by the Communists as "a revolutionary
musician," composer of officially sponsored and approved Communist
compositions as Comintern, Red Front, Red Wedding. He was listed
in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia of 1933 as a Communist.
Hanns Eisler was one of the founders of the International Music
Bureau in Moscow in November 1932, the aims of which have been
published in the magazine, Soviet Music, for March-x\.pril 1933 :
We should not verge one single iota from a program of progressive class strug-
gle. We can be successful in our efforts only if we know how to transplant
our political slogans to the sphere of music. * * * We should prove that
the only right road for artistic creations, which include also that of musicians,
is in the service to the objectives of proletarian revolution.
Mr. Eisler has frankly avowed that "Communist music becomes the
heavy artillery of the battle for communism."
The voluminous record of Hanns Eisler's Communist activities and
his avowed revolutionary aims, demonstrate his real purpose in com-
ing to this country and the far-reaching objectives of Communist
propaganda even in the field of music. Despite this record and these
objectives, he had free access to the United States and was allowed to
come and go, almost at will in violation of the immigration laws
against the admission of Communists. He falsely denied any sym-
pathy or affiliations with the Communist movement before the im-
migration authorities. He entered as a visitor in February 1935,
83400 — 49 2
8 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
reentered on October 4, 1935, again on January 21, 1938, and Septem-
ber 11, 1939. On July 17, 1940, the Department of Labor issued a
warrant for the arrest of Hanns Eisler and his wife, on the ground
that they had remained in the United States for a period longer than
permitted, but these warrants were never served. On October 22,
1940, they were admitted into the United States on a nonquota visa and
on October 30 of the same year, the warrant was canceled. Again he
reentered from Mexico on January 6, 1941.
The evidence before the committee disclosed that Hanns Eisler's
admission to this country in violation of our immigration laws was
advanced by certain individuals in the highest circles of the
Government.
At the end of February 1948, the immigration authorities agreed
to halt deportation proceedings and Mr. and Mrs. Hanns Eisler were
permitted to depart by plane for Czechoslovakia. The fact that he
had sworn falsely as to his Communist record was ignored.
EUGENE DENNIS
During the past 2 years, the committee has sought to reach the very
roots of the Communist movement in the United States. In line with
this policy, Eugene Dennis, general secretary of the Communist Party,
USA, was summoned before the committee on April 9, 1947.
It was revealed that Dennis had employed various aliases during
his career, such as Francis Eugene Waldron Dennis, Gene Dennis,
Paul Eugene Walsh, Francis Xavier Waldron, Jr., Milton, and so
forth. He has a long criminal record. He had falsely registered his
birth before his Selective Service draft board as of August 10, 1904,
instead of August 10, 1905, under the name of Francis Eugene
Waldron.
On December 11, 1930, Eugene Dennis, under the alias of Paul
Walsh, made application for an American passport to visit Germany,
France, Italy, and England. On December 13, 1932, this passport was
renewed at Johannesburg, South Africa. In 1934, an operative
known as Paul Walsh was active in Shanghai, China, assisting Arthur
Ernst Ewert, alias Harry Berger, a representative of the Communist
International. Walsh or Dennis was specifically engaged in disin-
tegration work among the British armed forces at Shanghai. He
remained in the Soviet Union during 1934 and 1935, his passport being
renewed in Moscow in the latter year.
Mr. Dennis refused to appear before the committee on April 9 and
subsequent action was as follows :
Contempt of Congress: April 22, 1947, Eugene Dennis, also known
as Francis Waldron, cited for contempt of Congress by the House of
Representatives. April 30, 1947, Dennis was indicted on the contempt
charge by District of Columbia grand jury. June 26, 1947, convicted
of the charge in District Court in District of Columbia. July 8, 1947,
sentenced by Associate Justice David Pine of District Court to 1 year
in jail and a $1,000 fine; released on $10,000 bond pending appeal to
the United States Court of Appeals. September 16, 1947, recognition
on appeal delivered to court of appeals.
Court of appeals: November 10 % 1947, defendant's brief filed in court
of Appeals. December 24, 1947, Government's brief filed. May 7,
REPORT OF COMMITTEE OX UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES 9
1948, argued before Justices Clark, Prettyman, and Proctor. On
motion of Mr. David Rein, Messrs. Louis F. McCabe of the bar of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Earl B. Dickerson of the
bar of the State of Illinois were permitted to argue for appellant
pro hac vici by special leave of court. October 12, 1948, decision
upholding conviction handed down by court of appeals. Indicted
by Federal grand jury, July 20, 1948.
Motion-Picture Industry
In conformity with point 5 of its eight-point program, the com-
mittee devoted the final week of October 1947 to an investigation of
Communist influence in the motion-picture industry. At the outset
the chairman outlined the purpose of the inquiry as follows :
We all recognize, certainly, the tremendous effect which moving pictures have
on their mass audiences, far removed from the Hollywood sets. We all recog-
nize that what the citizen sees and hears in his neighborhood movie house carries
a powerful impact on his thoughts and behavior.
With such vast influence over the lives of American citizens as the motion-
picture industry exerts, it is not unnatural — in fact, it is veiy logical — that sub-
versive and undemocratic forces should attempt to use this medium for un-
American purposes.
These factors assume special importance in the present period in
which the international Communist propaganda machine is engaged
in a cold war of slander against the United States.
The chairman expressed "every confidence that the vast majority
of movie workers are patriotic and loyal Americans." Any desire on
the part of the committee to establish a censorship over the industry
was categorically denied.
The committee heard the testimony of leading producers, script
writers, actors, and labor leaders in the industry.
While the committee could not within the limits of its time and
resources examine every single phase of Communist activity in the
industry, the outlines and the pattern of such activity was clearly dis-
closed.
Certain individuals were named as responsible for the activity de-
scribed : John Howard Lawson, Dalton Trumbo, Albert Maltz, Alvah
Bessie, Samuel Ornitz, Herbert Joseph Biberman, Edward Dmtryk,
Adrian Scott, Ring Lardner. Jr., and Lester Cole. In each case the
witnesses were accompanied by counsel. Each of these witnesses re-
fused to affirm or deny membership in the Communist Party, claiming
that the committee had no right to inquire into his political beliefs or
affiliations. In each case the committee presented voluminous evidence
to show affiliations with Communist organizations and a copy of the
witness' Communist Party registration card. Contempt proceedings
in these cases have since been presented to the courts with the following
disposition :
ALBERT MALTZ
Contempt of Congress: November 24, 1947, Albert Maltz cited for
contempt of Congress by the House of Representatives. December
5, 1947, Maltz indicted by Federal grand jury in District of Columbia
for aforesaid contempt, January 5, 1948, trial set for January 9,
1948, before United States District Judge David A. Pine. January
10 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
9, 1948, arraigned's plea, not guilty, entered; 15 days asked in which
to file motions, etc. February 13, 1948, motion to dismiss and for
change of venue heard in part; continued to February 16, 1948. Feb-
ruary 16, 1948, motion to dismiss and motion for change of venue
denied. April 30, 1948, defendant's motion for a continuance because
of unavailability of material witness heard and denied. Defendant's
motion to take deposition of Hon. J. Parnell Thomas heard and
granted. May 3, 1948, House Resolution 570 in response to a subpena
duces tecum to John Andrews, Clerk of the House of Representatives,
filed. May 10, 1948, House Resolution 583 in response to a subpena
duces tecum to John Andrews, Clerk of the House of Representatives,
filed. May 11, 1948, defendant's proposed stipulation for disposition
of this case approved by Judge Pine. Case continued for disposition
pursuant to this stipulation. May 18, 1948, waived jury trial. Agreed
to submit written presentation of case to court for a decision.
DALTON TRUMBO
Contempt of Congress: November 24, 1947, Dalton Trumbo cited
for contempt of Congress by the House of Representatives. December
5, 1947, Trumbo indicted by Federal grand jury in the District of
Columbia for aforesaid contempt charge. December 15, 1947, and
January 5, 1948, appeals for stay until start of individual trial denied
by United States District Judge David A. Pine ; trial set for January
9, 1948. January 9, 1948, arraigned's plea of not guilty, entered; 15
days asked in which to file motions, etc. February 13, 1948, motion
to dismiss and for change of venue, heard in part; continued to
February 16, 1948. February 16, 1948, hearing of motion resumed.
Motion to dismiss and motion for change of venue denied. April 19,
1948, date set for trial. April 27, 1948, defendant's motion for trans-
fer from District of Columbia heard and denied. April 29, 1948,
jury sworn. House Resolution 561 in response to a subpena duces
tecum to Representative John McDowell filed ; House Resolution 562
in response to a subpena duces tecum to Representative Richard B.
Vail filed ; House Resolution 560 in response to a subpena duces tecum
to Representative Adolph Sabath filed. May 3, 1948, House Reso-
lution 569 in response to a subpena duces tecum to John Andrews,
Clerk of the House of Representatives, filed. Deposition of Hon. J.
Parnell Thomas filed. Report on hearings before the Committee on
Un-American Activities, House of Representatives, October 20, 21,
23, 24, 27, 28, 29, and 30, 1947, filed. Offer of proof regarding testi-
mony of members of the House Committee on Un-American Activities
filed. May 4, 1948, trial resumed, same jury. Defendant's prayers
(78) filed, May 5, 1948, trial resumed, same jury. Verdict, guilty as
indicted. Case referred. Defendant permitted to remain on bond
pending sentence. May 10, 1948, motion for new trial and points and
authorities in support thereof filed. May 21, 1948, sentenced to 1
year in jail and fined $1,000. Permitted to remain on bond pending
appeal.
Court of appeals: Record filed July* 28, 1948. August 21, 1948,
order extending time to September 30, 1948, to file appellant's brief.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES 11
SAMUEL ORNITZ
Coribi m pt of Congress: Xovember 24, 1947, Samuel Ornitz cited for
contempt of Congress by the House of Representatives. December
5, 1947, Ornitz indicted by Federal grand jury in the District of Co-
lumbia for aforesaid contempt charge. December 15, 1917, and Janu-
ary 5, 1948, appeals for stay until start of individual trial denied
by United States District Judge David A. Pine ; trial set for January
9, 1948. January 9, 1948, arraigned's plea, not guilty, entered; 15
days asked in which to file motions, etc. February 13, 1948, motion to
dismiss and for change of venue, heard in part; continued to February
16, 1948. February 10, 1948, hearing of motion resumed. Motion to
dismiss and motion for change of venue denied. May 11, 1948, de-
fendant's proposed stipulation for disposition of case filed and ap-
proved by Judge Pine. Case continued for disposition pursuant to
this stipulation. May 18, 1948, waived jury trial. Agreed to sub-
mit written presentation of case in court for a decision.
ROBERT ADRIAN SCOTT
Contempt of Congress: November 24, 1947, Robert Adrian Scott
cited for contempt of Congress by the House of Representatives. De-
cember 5, 1947, Scott indicted by Federal grand jury in the District
of Columbia for aforesaid contempt charge. December 15, 1947, and
January 5, 1948, appeals for stay until start of individual trial denied
by United States District Judge David A. Pine; trial set for January
9, 1948. January 9, 1948, arraigned's plea, not guilty, entered; 15
days asked in which to file motions, etc. Motions to be heard Febru-
ary 13, 1948. February 13, 1948, motion to dismiss and for change of
venue heard in part; continued to February 1(3, 1948. February 16,
1948. hearing of motion resumed. Motion to dismiss and motion
for change of venue denied. May 11, 1948, defendant's proposed
stipulation for disposition of case filed and approved by Judge Pine.
Case continued for disposition pursuant to this stipulation.
JOHX HOWARD LAWSON
Contempt of Congress: Xovember 24, 1947, John Howard Lawson,
cited for contempt of Congress by the House of Representatives. De-
cember 5. 1947, Lawson indicted by Federal grand jury for aforesaid
contempt charge. December 15, 1947, and January 5, 1948, appeals
for stay until start of individual trial denied by United States District
Judge David A. Pine ; trial set for January 9, 1948. January 9, 1948,
arraigned's plea of not guilty, entered; 15* days asked in which to file
motions, etc. Motions to be'heard February*13, 1948. February 13,
1948, motion to dismiss and for change of venue heard in part; con-
tinued to February 16, 1948. February 16, 1948, hearing of motion re-
sumed. Motion to dismiss and motion for change of venue denied.
April 12, 1948, affidavit of bias and prejudice of defendants and at-
torney Martin Popper argued and denied. Defendant's challenge to
and motion to dismiss jury panel, points and authorities in support of
12 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
motion and affidavit of counsel Ben Margolis filed, argued and denied.
Defendant's motions for transfer from District of Columbia, affidavit
and points and authorities in support of motion argued and denied.
April 14, 1948, jury sworn and trial begun. April 15, 1948, defendant's
oral motion for judgment of acquittal submitted and denied. Govern-
ment's oral motion to quash subpenas submitted. April 16, 1948, trial
resumed, same jury. Defendant's oral motion for judgment of acquit-
tal denied by court. April 19, 1948, trial resumed, same jury. Verdict
of guilty as indicted. Defendant to remain on bond. April 23, 1948,
motion for new trial filed. Motion in arrest of judgment filed. Memo
of points and authorities in support of motion for new trial and in
support of motion in arrest of judgment filed. May 3, 1948, House
Resolutions 524, 528, 538, 541, 542 filed as of April 19, 1948. May 21,
1948, motion for new trial heard and denied. Sentenced to 1 year
in jail and fined $1,000. Allowed to remain on bond pending appeal.
Court of Appeals : July 28, 1948, record filed. August 21, 1948, order
extending time to September 30, 1948, to file apellant's brief and joint
appendix and to October 30, 1948, to file appellee's brief.
Supreme Court: October 2, 1948, case filed. October 4, 1948, peti-
tion filed. November 8, 1948, petition denied.
EDWARD DMTTRTK
Contempt of Congress: November 24, 1947, Edward Dmytryk cited
for contempt of Congress by the House of Representatives. Decem-
ber 5, 1947, Dmytryk indicted by Federal grand jury for aforesaid
contempt charge. December 15, 1947, and January 5, 1948, appeals
for stay until start of individual trial denied by United States Dis-
trict Judge David A. Pine; trial set for January 9, 1948. January
9, 1948, arraigned's plea, not guilty, entered; 15 days asked in which
to file motions, etc. February 13, 1948, motion to dismiss and for
change of venue, heard in part; continued to February 16, 1948.
February 16, 1948, hearing on motion resumed. Motion to dismiss
and motion for change of venue denied. May 11, 1948, defendant's
proposed stipulation for disposition of case filed and approved by
Judge Pine. Case continued for disposition pursuant to this stipu-
lation. May 18, 1948, waived jury trial. Agreed to submit written
presentation of case to court for decision.
LESTER COLE
Contempt of Congress: November 24, 1947, Lester Cole cited for con-
tempt of Congress by the House of Representatives. December 5, 1947,
Cole indicted by Federal grand jury for aforesaid contempt charge.
December 15, 1947, and January 5, 1948, appeals for stay until start
of individual trial denied by United States District Judge David A.
Pine ; trial set for January 9, 1948. January 9, 1948, arraigned's plea,
not guilty, entered ; 15 days asked in which to file motions, etc. Feb-
ruary 13, 1948, motion to dismiss and for change of venue heard in
part; continued to February 16, 1948. February 16, 1948, hearing of
motion resumed. Motion to dismiss and motion for change of venue
denied. May 11, 1948, defendant's proposed stipulation for disposi-
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES 13
tion of case filed and approved by Judge Pine. Case continued for
disposition pursuant to this stipulation.
ALVAII BESSIE
Contempt of Congress: November 24, 1947, Alvah Bessie cited for
contempt of Congress by the House of Representatives. December 15,
1947, Bessie indicted by Federal grand jury for aforesaid contempt
charge. December 15. 1947, and January 5, 1948, appeals for stay
until start of individual trial denied by United States District Judge
David A. Pine; trial set for January 9, 1948. January 9, 1948, ar-
raigned's plea, not guilty, entered; 15 days asked in which to file
motions, etc. February 13, 1948, motion to dismiss and for change
of venue, heard in part; continued to February 16, 1948. February
16, 1948, hearing of motion resumed. Motion to dismiss and motion
for change in venue denied. May 11, 1948, defendant's proposed stipu-
lation for disposition of case filed and approved by Judge Pine. Case
continued for disposition pursuant to this stipulation. May 18, 1948,
waived jury trial (agreed to submit written presentation of case to
court for a decision ) .
HERBERT BIBERMAN
Contempt of Congress: November 24, 1947, Herbert Biberman, cited
for contempt of Congress by the House of Representatives. Decem-
ber 5, 1947, Biberman indicted by Federal grand jury for aforesaid
contempt charge. December 15, 1947, and January 5, 1948, appeals
for stay until start of individual trial denied by United States District
Judge David A. Pine ; trial set for January 9, 1948. January 9, 1948,
arraigned's plea, not guilty, entered; 15 days asked in which to file
motions, etc. February 13, 1948, motion to dismiss and for change of
venue, heard in part; continued to February 16, 1948. February 16,
1948, hearing of motion resumed. Motion to dismiss and motion for
change in venue denied. May 11, 1948, defendant's proposed stipula-
tion for disposition of case filed and approved by Judge Pine. Case
continued for disposition pursuant to this stipulation. May 18, 1948,
waived jury trial. Agreed to submit written presentation of case to
the court for a decision.
RING LARDNER, JR.
Contempt of Congress: November 24, 1947, Ring Lardner, Jr., cited
for contempt of Congress by the House of Representatives. Decem-
ber 5, 1947, Lardner, Jr., indicated by Federal grand jury for afore-
said contempt charge. December 15, 1947, and January 5, 1948,
appeals for stay until start of individual trial denied by United States
District Judge David A. Pine ; trial set for January 9, 1948. January
9, 1948, arraigned's plea, not guilty, entered; 15 days asked in which
to file motions, etc. February 13, 1948, motion to dismiss and for
change of venue, heard in part; continued to February 16, 1948. Feb-
ruary 16, 1948, hearing of motion resumed. Motion to dismiss and
motion for change of venue denied. May 11, 1948, defendant's pro-
posed stipulation for disposition of case filed and approved by Judge
Pine. Case continued for disposition pursuant to this stipulation.
14 report of committee on un-american activities
Labor Unions
In line with point 6 of its eight-point program, the committee held
a number of hearings in February and July 1947, dealing with Com-
munist penetration of labor unions. These hearings furnished a wel-
come tribunal for loyal, American trade-unionists who, heretofore,
had no other recourse for the presentation of their grievances against
their self-constituted Communist labor czars. The committee is grati-
fied to note that these revelations were followed by an extensive house
cleaning of Communists in many sections of the labor movements.
The testimony dealing chiefly with the Allis-Chalmers local of the
United Automobile Workers of America; the United Electrical, Radio
and Machine Workers of America ; and the Food, Tobacco and Agri-
cultural Workers, all of the CIO, brought out the following significant
points regarding Communist activity in these organizations, and thus
outlined for the benefit of American labor, the pattern of their activity
in all labor unions :
1. That Communist strike strategy fluctuates in complete accord-
ance with the current Communist Party line, being prostrike during
the Stalin-Hitler pact (1939-41), antistrike while Russia was an ally
(1941-45), prostrike during the period following World War II
(1945 to date).
2. That Communist unions infiltrated into atomic-energy plants
and plants manufacturing strategic defense material.
3. That Communist union officials used their posts for Communist
activity including distribution of Communist literature, promotion
and support of Communist-front organizations, and dissemination of
Communist propaganda.
4. That fraud, coercion, and violence are employed by the Com-
munists to control elections, strike votes, and votes on matters of union
policy in general.
5. That workers who oppose Communist policy are victimized
through job discrimination and in many other ways open to powerful
union officials.
6. That Communist union meetings are used as a pressure instru-
ment in behalf of pro-Communist and anti-American resolutions
especially in the field of foreign policy.
7. That Communist unions are endeavoring to block our recovery
program.
8. That Communist control of unions does not reflect the attitude of
the vast majority of the union membership which is overwhelmingly
patriotic, but is the result of the machinations of a small, tightly knit,
self-constituted minority.
"Legal" Espionage
On January 29, 1947, Hon. Karl E. Mundt informed the House of
Representatives concerning an investigation made by the Committee
on Un-American Activities into the extent of "legal" espionage by
representatives of the Amtorg Trading Corp., official Soviet commer-
cial organization. Disclosing that there were 3,696 Russian agents
in the United States at the time, inspecting our defenses and assem-
bling information about American railroads, dams, power plants, and
airplane and automobile factories, he presented a volume published by
REPORT OF COMMITTEE OX UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES 15
the Amtorg described by military intelligence officers as a veritable
""manual for bombing America."
Mr. Mundt described the contents of this publication as follows :
In this volume are airplane views, which may be blown up to any size for
military purposes, of the Pratt-Whitney plant at West Concord, Conn., the
Kaiser shipping plant in California, the Ford plants at River Rouge and Willow
Run, and the Hamilton-Standard Propellor Co. plant at Hartford, Conn.
Every big bridge in the United States, including the Golden Gate and San
Francisco-Oakland Bridges, and the George Washington Bridge of New York
City, has been photographed from every angle together with complete informa-
tion concerning its structure.
Huge maps of the Tennessee Valley power plant are presented and members
will not need to be reminded that our atom-bomb plant at Oak Ridge, Tenn.,
is not far distant from the TVA.
Soviet Espionage Within the United States Government
»
The most startling disclosures ever confronted by the committee,
disclosures which should rock our national complacence to its founda-
tions, have been those developed in connection with the testimony of
Elizabeth Terrill Bentley and Whittaker Chambers, both confessed
former members of Communist espionage rings, operating within
the Government of the United States. Here is revealed for the first
time the pattern of this espionage apparatus operating through small,
conspirative groups of about five individuals, and consisting of Gov-
ernment employees stationed in top-flight posts. These groups some-
times do not know of each other's existence. Their contact with the
Soviet military intelligence is maintained through a single individual
known only by an alias. They have no visible Communist Party ties
and disclaim membership or affiliation of any kind. According to the
testimony presented, these agents maintain a steady flow of secret
and confidential Government documents to special couriers, which
are quickly microfilmed for transmission to Soviet intelligence officers,
after which the originals are returned to Government files. These
conspirators also seek to and indeed have influenced major decisions
of Government policy.
These activities are described more fully in the interim report on
hearings regarding Communist espionage in the United States Gov-
ernment dated August 28, 1948, hearings regarding Communist es-
pionage in the United States Government dated July 21 through Sep-
tember 9, 1948, and the committee report on Soviet espionage within the
United States Government, dated December 31, 1948. It is not our
purpose to recapitulate these reports here which go to the very roots
of the Communist conspiracy, but we would like to call attention to
the startling way in which the links in the network are closed by cor-
roborative testimony from one witness after another, over a long
period of investigation relentlessly pursued by our committee.
Miss Bentley named the participating members of the two espion-
age groups with which she had contact, namely, the Silvermaster
group and the Perlo group. Members of these groups were examined
by the committee and some refused to answer all questions as to their
participation and association with the Communist Party on the
grounds of self-incrimination.
Miss Bentley further testified that there were certain individuals
employed in the Government who cooperated in obtaining information
16 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
from the files of the Government for the use of Russian agents but
who were not actually attached to either the Silvermaster or Perlo
groups.
On August 3, the committee heard the testimony of Whittaker
Chambers. He testified regarding an underground apparatus which
was set up by the Communist Party in the early thirties for the purpose
of infiltrating the Federal Government. The members of this group,
according to Mr. Chambers, were known as the Ware- Abt- Witt group.
The inadequacy of our present legislative and prosecuting ma-
chinery is alarmingly demonstrated by the fact that not one of
these individuals has been prosecuted to date on these grave charges,
with the single notable exception of Alger Hiss, indicted for perjury
on two counts by a New York Federal grand jury on December 15,
1948.
J. V. PETERS, ALSO KNOWN AS J. PETERS, ALEXANDER GOLDBERGER, ISADOR
BOORSTEIN, STEVE LAPIN, ROBERTS, PETE STEVENS, STEVE MILLER, ALEX-
ANDER STEVENS
On August 3, 1948, Whittaker Chambers described J. Peters as "the
head of the whole underground United States Communist Party," a
former member of the Soviet Government of Hungary.
In 1940, the Special Committee on Un-American Activities re-
printed in its appendix I, a considerable part of the pamphlet, The
Communist Party — A Manual on Organization, by J. Peters, published
in 1935, in which Jack Stachel, whose role in the network will be
described later, describes the author as one who "is thoroughly ac-
quainted with the fundamental principles of Leninist organization"
with "a wide and varied experience in organizational work--over a
period of many years."
The files of the committee show that J. Peters was a frequent con-
tributor to a secret, internal organ of the Communist Party, U. S. A.,
known as the Party Organizer, in June 1931, September 1933, July
1934, and February 1937. Our files further show that on March 7
and 17, 1932, J. Peters filled out credentials in Moscow in behalf of
Andrew Smith, in which Peters signed himself as "Acting Representa-
tive CPUS A (Communist Party, U. S. A.) , "E. C. C. I." (Executive
Committee of the Communist International).
He was an instructor at Krumbein Training School for Communist
leaders in 1936.
Testimony further showed that on May 3, 1942, Alexander Stevens,
alias J. Peters, visited Los Angeles where he met with Herbert Biber-
man, John Howard Lawson, and Lester Cole, who are all cited as Com-
munists operating in the motion-picture industry. He was in contact
and received funds from Louise Bransten, mentioned in the hearings
on atomic espionage.
On November 22, 1946, Louis F. Budenz, former managing editor
of the Daily Worker, testified before the Committee on Un-American
Activities that J. V. Peters, alias Jack Roberts "introduced me to the
idea of the conspiratorial apparatus of the Communist Party," com-
paring the party to a submerged submarine with its main apparatus
beneath the surface.
Alexander Stevens was summoned to appear before the committee
on August 30, 1948, at which time he refused to answer any questions
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES 17
regarding the foregoing on the ground that his answer might tend to
incriminate or degrade him. He is now the subject of deportation
charges by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
JACOB N. GOLOS, ALSO KNOWN AS JACOB RAISIN
On July 31, 1948, Elizabeth T. Bentley testified that Jacob Golos
had asked her to take charge of contacting members of the Communist
espionage apparatus within the United States Government.
On July 17, 1935, Jacob Golos and the manager of World Tourists,
Inc., a Soviet travel agency, wrote to Intourist, Inc., Paris, France,
urging the best accommodations and the best attention for Samuel
Liptzin, the name under which Gerhart Eisler traveled at the time.
Ou February 6, 1947, Louis F. Budenz testified before our com-
mittee that "the late Jacob Golos introduced me to the Soviet police,
with whom I worked for 3 years."
Legislation
Confronted as we are with a problem entirely new in our history, it
is fully understandable that little attention has been paid in the past
to the difficult task of drafting legislation to curb the activities of the
Communist fifth column. How to check the machinations of a con-
spiracy inspired and directed by a foreign power and involving many
thousands of individuals including some native-born Americans, with-
out at the same time infringing upon the rights guaranteed by the
Constitution, is a task which our forefathers could scarcely have en-
visaged over 150 years ago. It is a task which will tax the genius of
our most brilliant legal minds in the years ahead. Upon its successful
solution may well depend our preservation as a democratic nation.
The committee has done pioneer service in breaking the ground in
this field. Endeavoring to approach the problem from the broadest
possible angle, the committee in March 1947 heard the views of such
distinguished public figures as Col. John Thomas Taylor, director,
national legislative committee of the American Legion; James F.
O'Neil, vice chairman of the national Americanism commission of the
American Legion ; William Green, president of the American Federa-
tion of Labor; Allen P. Solada, national executive director of the
AMVETS ; Dr. Emerson P. Schmidt, representing the United States
Chamber of Commerce; Hon. Jack B. Tenney, chairman of the Cali-
fornia Joint Fact Finding Committee on Un-American Activities;
Mrs. Julius Y. Talmadge, president general of the Daughters of the
American Revolution; Louis E. Starr, commander in chief, Veterans
of Foreign Wars ; Eric Johnston, president, Motion Picture Associa-
tion of America; Hon. Kim Sigler, former Governor of Michigan;
Hon. George Earle, former Governor of Pennsylvania ; Hon. Gordon
L, McDonough, Member of Congress from California ; Hon. William
C. Bullitt, former American Ambassador to the Soviet Union and
France ; J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investi-
gation ; and Walter S. Steele, representing 84 patriotic organizations.
The committee also heard the views of the Communist Party, U. S. A.,
through its official representatives, Eugene Dennis, general secretary,
and Norman Schrank, secretary of the Communist Party of Brooklyn,
N. Y. Approximately 400 pages of testimony was presented. In
general the opinion of these spokesmen with few exceptions was, at
18 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
that time, against legislation to outlavi the Communist Party of the
United States, at the same time recommending decisive measures to
curb its activities. These views were perhaps best summarized by-
Mr. Hoover when he declared :
I have always felt that the greatest contribution this committee can make is
the public disclosure of the forces that menace America — Communist and Fascist.
That is why the venom of the American Communist and the now defunct
German-American Bund has been directed at this committee as it has also been
directed at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This committee renders a dis-
tinct service when it publicly reveals the diabolic machinations of sinister figures
engaged in un-American activities.
He added —
I do favor unrelenting prosecution wherever they are found to be violating our
country's laws.
Pursuing the inquiry still further, the committee in February 1948
heard the views of Hon. Tom C. Clark, Attorney General of the United
States, and such outstanding representatives of the American bar as
Robert R. Milam and Walter M. Bastian of the American Bar Associa-
tion; Donald R. Richberg; Louis Waldman; Samuel N. Birnbaum, de-
partment judge advocate of the American Legion, Department of New
York; Kenneth D. Parkinson, Edmond D. Campbell, Dr. Charles S.
Collier, and George E. McNeill of the District of Columbia Bar Associ-
ation ; Arthur Garfield Hays of the American Civil Liberties Union ;
Selma Borchardt of the Women's Bar Association of the District of
Columbia; Adolf A. Berle, Jr., former Assistant Secretary of State;
Morris L. Ernst; Dr. Robert A. Maurer, professor, Georgetown Uni-
versity Law School; Dr. William Y. Elliott, professor of government,
Harvard University; John Foster Dulles, American delegate to the
United Nations; Thomas Reed Powell, professor, Harvard University
Law School; Robert B. Gaston; Robert Emmet HeiTernan of George-
town University; and Felix B. Cohen of the Institute of Living Law,
Heard also were such eminent public figures as Hon. Gordon L.
McDonough, Member of Congress, California ; Hon. Karl E. Mundt,
Member of Congress. South Dakota ; Hon. George A. Dondero; Mem-
ber of Congress, Michigan; Hon. E. Wallace Chadwick, Member of
Congress, Pennsylvania; James Truslow Adams, historian; Ferenc
Nagy, former Premier of Hungary; Charles S. Sullivan, chairman,
committee on un-American activities of the Veterans of Foreign Wars;
Edgar C. Corry, national commander, AMVETS; Raymond Moley,
editor, Newsweek; George M. Dimitrov, former Agrarian Party leader
of the Bulgarian Parliament; James Burnham, philosopher and
writer; and Eugene Lyons, author. It also received a presentation of
the official views of the Communist Party, U. S. A., from Benjamin J.
Davis, a member of its national executive board.
The 500 pages of testimony taken during these hearings on legisla-
tion to define communism and to make the practice of communism a
treasonable act in the United States contain matter of priceless ex-
plorative value, which has never been previously compiled in one
volume, for the guidance of those engaged in the field of legislation
against subversive activity.
On May 2, 1948, the Committee on Un-American Activities unani-
mously approved H. R. 5852, incorporating the views arrived at after
more than a year of exhaustive hearings, investigation, and study.
This bill is aimed primarily at cutting the connection of the Ameri-
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES 19
can Communist Party with the Soviet Union and bringing the party's
activities out into the open. The bill provides heavy penalties for
anyone attempting to establish in this country a totalitarian dictator-
ship dominated by a foreign government ; it requires Communists and
Communist-front organizations to register with the Attorney General
and to label their propaganda for what it is; it forbids employ-
ment in the Federal Government and the granting of passports to
Communists.
On May 19, 1948, the House passed H. R. 5852 by a roll-call vote of
319 to 58.
The 'Senate Judiciary Committee held extended hearings on the
measure and has formulated certain amendments. It is our firm con-
viction that the incoming Congress will place high on its order of busi-
ness the adoption of legislation along the lines we have worked out.
Atomic Energy
It will be recalled that point 4 of our eight-point program dealt with
the field of atomic energy. Pursuing this line of investigation, the
committee took up the case of Edward U. Condon, Director of the
Bureau of Standards and scientific adviser to the Special Committee
on Atomic Energy. Dr. Condon's case was the subject of .an investi-
gation by the Special Subcommittee on National Security of the Com-
mittee on Un-American Activities, based largely upon a confidential
letter from J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the Federal Bureau of In-
vestigation, to W. Averill Harriman, Secretary of Commerce, and
dated May 15, 1947. On April 22, 1948, the House of Representatives
by a vote of 301 to 29 on House Resolution 522 directed Mr. Harriman
to transmit forthwith the full text of this letter. Compliance with
this request was prevented, however, by an Executive order. The
entire case was made the subject of a report to the full Committee on
Un-American Activities by the Special Subcommittee on National
Security. No final disposition of the case was made by the full com-
mittee.
On September 9, 1948, the committee heard Clarence F. Hiskey, a
chemist, formerly engaged in highly secret research work on atomic
energy at the SAM Laboratory at Columbia University, and at the
metallurgical laboratory of the University of Chicago. An official
military intelligence report dated June 5, 1945, contained a long
record of Communist affiliations and statements on the part of both
Hiskey and his wife. Our investigations disclosed that Hiskey had
contacted and given information to Arthur Adams, a man with a long
record as a Soviet espionage agent. In 1944 Government agents
searched Adams' room and found highly secret information regarding
the atomic bomb plant at Oak Ridge as well as other vital information
regarding the development of atomic energy. On a number of occa-
sions he was in contact with representatives of the Soviet consulate
in New York.
It was further disclosed that Mr. Adams' activities had been aided
and abetted by Samuel Novick, president of the Electronics Corp. of
America, a firm engaged in manufacturing highly secret military
equipment during the last war and a supporter of a number of Com-
munist ventures; Samuel J. Wegman of Hollywood, now deceased;
Julius Heiman, a New York businessman who has rendered conspira-
20 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
tive aid to the Communist movement for many years ; Victoria Stone,
associated with Heiman ; Eric Bernay, a manufacturer of phonograph
records and at that time a member of the Communist Party ; and Dr.
Louis Miller, Heiman's physician.
Hiskey refused to answer questions on any of the above matters on
the ground that his answers might tend to incriminate or degrade him.
It was further established that Hiskey had utilized the services of
John Hitchcock Chapin, a chemist, also connected with the SAM
Laboratories in New York and the metallurgical laboratory in Chicago,
for the purpose of communicating with Arthur Adams. Chapin was
a fully cooperative witness.
Steve Nemarosh, alias Louis Evans, alias Steve Nelson, former com-
missar in the Communist inspired Abraham Lincoln Brigade in Spain ;
a section organized for the Communist Party in Luzerne, Pa. ; in 1936,
its candidate for the Pennsylvania State Legislature; and a member
of its national committee in 1939, 1942, and 1944, was also involved.
He was stationed in Moscow in 1934.
Nelson had received a complicated, scientific formula from a scientist
whom we must refer to as Scientist X, engaged in work connected with
the atomic bomb at the University of California radiation laboratories.
He had thereupon contacted Peter Ivanov, Soviet vice consul at San
Francisco and also Vassili Zubilin of the Soviet Embassy from whom
he received 10 bills of unknown denomination. When Nelson testified
on September 14, 1948, he refused to answer all pertinent questions on
the ground that his answers might tend to incriminate him. The com-
mittee recommended his immediate prosecution under section 2 of the
Espionage Act of 1917, as well as for contempt of Congress. In view
of a conflict in testimony, further investigation in the case of Scientist
X was recommended to the office of the Attorney General.
Martin David Kamen, staff chemist for the radiation laboratories
at the University of California, assigned in 1944 to an important
project at the Manhattan engineering district's atomic bomb project,
met Gregory Kheifets, Soviet vice consul in San Francisco, and his
successor, Gregory Kasperov, on July 1, 1944, which meeting took
place in a San Francisco restaurant and was observed by various in-
telligence officers. It was alleged by the intelligence officers that
Kamen had divulged classified information to the Soviet officials dur-
ing the course of the meeting. As a result of the information supplied
by the intelligence officers to officials of the Manhattan project, Kamen
was dismissed from employment on the atomic-bomb project. Based
upon the evidence presented to the committee, the committee is in-
clined to believe that Kamen committed a serious act of indiscretion
rather than an act of espionage. The Kamen matter is being included
in this report because of the involvement of a Soviet official, Gregory
Kheifets, with persons known to be engaged in espionage on behalf
of the Soviet Government.
It should also be recalled that in October 1947 testimony before the
Committee on Un-American Activities disclosed that Peter Ivanov
was in contact with George Charles Eltenton, who in turn persuaded
Haakon Chevalier of the University of Chicago to approach J. Robert
Oppenheimer, director of the atomic-bomb project, for information
to be furnished to our Russian ally. Professor Oppenheimer refused
to accede, considering such an act as treasonable. Louise Bransten,
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES 21
mentioned above in connection with J'. Peters, was in turn in close
association with Steve Nelson, concerning which she refused to answer
on the ground that it might incriminate her. She was also in touch
with Peter Ivanov, Haakon Chevalier, George Charles Eltenton, and
Gregory Kheifets, showing the close interrelation of this Communist
clique.
In its report on espionage activities in connection with the atom
bomb, dated September 28, 1948, the committee urged the abolition
of the Presidential directive closing executive files to Congress in order
that the full story of the Soviet espionage in this field might be told.
Here it must be pointed out again that not a single member of this con-
spiratorial group has been the subject of prosecution.
Files of the Committee
The files of the Committee on Un-American Activities constitute a
vast and unexcelled storehouse of information concerning subversive
individuals and organizations in the United States. The committee's
collection of information covers 10 years of diligent investigation
and inquiry into subversive activities.
Numerous witnesses have testified in public and executive hearings
before the committee and submitted evidence in support of that testi-
mony. In the course of its widespread investigations, the committee
has amassed records of individuals, histories of organizations, reports,
pamphlets, periodicals, photostats, photographs, documents, and
books. Its files include information and documentary material ob-
tained from regional offices which were maintained in Chicago, Los
Angeles, and New York, records turned over to the committee by other
agencies, and information compiled by law-enforcement agencies in
many States.
The volume of this valuable collection of basic informational
material covering un-American activities can be measured by the
fact that it would fill 200 file cabinets. It is one of the most voluminous
collections of its kind in existence.
During the 10-year life of the committee, more than 1,000 witnesses
have testified in public and executive hearings before its members.
The testimony of individuals in public hearings and evidence sub-
mitted by them fill 29 large volumes with a total of 25,000 pages. The
committee has issued 60 reports and pamphlets since it began its in-
quiries in 1938 with an investigation of the German-American Bund.
Its investigations have covered Nazi and Fascist leaders, activities
and organizations in the United States, subversive activities of Japa-
nese individuals and groups, Communist leaders and movements, the
nature and aims of the Communist Party, and Communist and Com-
munist-front activities in all phases of American life. During its ex-
haustive studies and investigations, the committee has acquired
thousands of irreplaceable documents and records which have been
carefully cataloged and filed.
About one-fourth of the testimony of witnesses before the committee
and a corresponding amount of file material concern the subversive
activities of Nazis, Fascists, and Japanese in this country. The study
of communism, begun in 1938, has led to an unequaled collection of
material covering Communist Party organization here and abroad,
22 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
its finances, publications, educational activities, its work among mi-
nority groups and organizations.
The vast reference collection of the committee is in constant use
by committee members and staff employees. Information is also made
available to individual Members of Congress, other congressional
committees, and various agencies in the executive branch of the Fed-
eral Government. From June 20, 1946, to December 22, 1948, reports
on 25,591 individuals and 1,786 organizations were compiled by staff
members at the request of Members of Congress. These written re-
ports cover all information found in files, records, and publications
of the committee concerning the individual or organization.
The files of the committee have been open to accredited agents of
the executive departments and have been widely used in security
checks. In Presidential Executive Order 9835, dated March 21, 1947,
which prescribes procedures for administration of the loyalty pro-
gram for Federal employees, the files of the Committee on Un-Ameri-
can Activities are listed as one of the pertinent sources of information
to be checked in determining the loyalty of employees and applicants
for employment. They have been widely used for this purpose.
Indexes to public hearings and committee publications contain
48,221 references to individuals and 8,593 references to organizations.
These indexes and the committee's card files are consulted daily by
authorized personnel from numerous Government agencies in con-
nection with loyalty or security investigations. During the period
January 22, 1947, to December 21, 1948, accredited representatives of
Government agencies made 5,975 visits to the committee file room to
secure information. The length of such visits varied from 20 or 30
minutes to an entire day, during which time files were checked for
available information concerning 3 to 200 or more individuals.
Visitors during this period were representatives of the following
agencies : Federal Bureau of Investigation. Civil Service Commission,
State Department, Treasury Department, United States Coast Guard,
United States Secret Service, War Department, United States Air
Force, Central Intelligence Agency, Navy Department, Labor De-
partment, Federal Communications Commission, Securities and Ex-
change Commission, Commerce Department, Agriculture Depart-
ment, Economic Cooperation Administration, National Labor Rela-
tions Board, Federal Power Commission, Civil Aeronautics Board,
War Assets Administration, and Metropolitan Police Department.
Material relating to individuals and organizations has been so care-
fully indexed that Government agents may make their own checks of
committee publications and card files. Numerous questions arise as to
the source of information found, however, and staff members are con-
stantly available to furnish reference material and answer inquiries.
On an average, each person who consults the files makes two requests
for assistance.
Government investigators have made constant use of the consoli-
dated card records, a collection of 300,000 card references to activities'
and affiliations of individuals. Eight cabinets are devoted to these
references which are an index to source material in committee files.
In addition to the consolidated card records, which contain refer-
ences to thousands of individuals, files are maintained on the activities
of some 3,040 persons. Five cabinets are devoted to information con-
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES 23
cerning these individuals, many of whom are top leaders in subversive
groups or prominent fellow travelers of the Communist Party. These
collections are a valuable guide to the activities of various subversive
groups as well as individuals'.
The committee has compiled fists of signers of Communist Tarty
election petitions for various years in 20 States, showing 363,119 signa-
tures. These lists' have been obtained from original petitions or photo-
static copies of original petitions. The committee has published
printed lists of signers of election petitions of the Communist Party
for 1910 in the following States: Arizona, California, Connecticut,
Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Hamp-
shire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah,
Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The committee has also indexed the following Communist Party
election petitions : California, 1932, 1934, 1936, and 1938 ; 1942 peti-
tions in Colorado and New York ; 1946 petitions in Colorado, Con-
necticut, Michigan, and Pennsylvania; New York City, 1936, 1939,
1940, and 1945 : Philadelphia, 1941 and 1946.
Of the 363,119 signatures, some 335,660 have been indexed and
printed by the committee. The remaining signatures have been indexed
and filed in the consolidated card record file. This large completely
indexed collection has been a helpful guide in the study of Communist
activity in these States and serves as a valuable and readily accessible
reference collection for investigators from Government agencies.
In 1948, Government agencies made 80 requests for photostatic copies
of signatures to Communist Party election petitions, and other exhibit
material in committee files, with the number of pages of photostats
in such requests ranging from 1 to 36. During the year, 50 requests
were also made by various agencies for the use of material in file on a
loan basis for photostating.
Since subversive forces try to infiltrate other organizations while
working through their own, the committee has acquired a vast store of
information concerning thousands of organizations in the United
States. Its scope can be illustrated by the fact that files contain
information concerning 380 organizations with names beginning with
the letter "A."
Organization material in file is composed chiefly of material issued
by the organizations themselves: Letterheads, statements of purpose
and policy, reports on proceedings, press releases and literature, an-
nouncements of activities, news clippings — material from which the
nature of the organization may be determined.
During the past 10 years, the committee has acquired 5,000 pam-
phlets. Most of these have been written by leaders prominent in
subversive movements or issued by subversive organizations. This
huge collection contains numerous Fascist and Nazi pamphlets and
hundreds of publications of the Communist Party. The collection
ranges from subtle to open propaganda, through story, song, and verse,
and reflects the constant effort of subversive groups to incite hatred,
capitalize on prejudice, enmesh the unsuspecting, and divide the Amer-
ican people on national and international issues.
Some 8,553 issues of 644 periodicals serve as valuable sources of
information. These periodicals reveal the motives and policies of
hundreds of subversive groups and the activities of their leaders. The
24 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
collection, dating back to 1923, contains irreplaceable copies of publica-
cations issued by Japanese, Fascist, and Nazi groups. It includes
publications of labor unions, religious and racial groups, anti-Fascist,
anti-Nazi, and anti-Communist publications.
Ninety of the periodicals in the collection are publications of the
Communist Party or its front organizations. The comprehensive
current file includes all major Communist publications. The com-
mittee has acquired copies of the Communist newspaper, the Daily
Worker, dating back to 1924. Its file of the Communist weekly, New
Masses (now merged with Mainstream into a monthly, Masses and
Mainstream), dates from September 1927.
Through this collection of daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly
publications of the Communist Party covering a quarter of a century,
the Communist enterprises in the United States and the devious party
line may be traced.
The committee has in file hundreds of reports compiled by staff
investigators. These reports, dating from 1939 and paralleling com-
mittee investigations, cover a wide range of subjects and contain refer-
ences to thousands of subversive individuals. The card index shows
that reports of investigators contain references to 15,825 organiza-
tions. Many contain documentary evidence which is useful as exhibit
material.
The committee has collected numerous books dealing with subver-
sive activities in the United States for use as reference material, copies
of hearings held by other groups investigating subversive activities,
and necessary general reference books.
Each day brings a huge amount of valuable new material to com-
mittee files: News clippings pamphlets, and literature of subversive
organizations, reports of Communist activities here and in foreign
countries, and material pertinent to the work of the committee. This
material is classified, indexed, and added to the growing specialized
collection.
This ever-expanding storehouse of information has been a valuable
tool in exposing enemy agents, alien subversives, those who promote
un-American ideologies — those who seek to destroy our Government
by force and violence. It is a valuable tool in furnishing infor-
mation to the American people about such individuals and the organi-
zations they create — information which the American people demand
in self-defense.
Conclusion
In its annual report of January 3, 1940, the Special Committee on
Un-American Activities characterized the Communist Party of the
United States not as a true political party but as a conspiracy in behalf
of the Soviet Union. Our investigations and hearings during the past
2 years have borne out this conclusion in the most startling fashion.
The evidence now before us establishes beyond a doubt that espionage
and treasonable activity against these United States is, in fact, the
primary purpose of the organization. We are convinced that all other
outward activity and propaganda of the Communist Party, its front
organizations and controlled unions, serve merely to —
1. Enlist new recruits for the primary, underground, espionage
apparatus.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES 25
2. Lend an idealistic camouflage to this sinister, conspiratorial
apparatus.
3. Act as its protective defense mechanism.
4. Provide it with funds and other resources.
The enacting of legislation adequate to cope with this problem is a
task confronting the incoming Congress.
We recommend the early passage of legislation modeled substan-
tially after the so-called Mundt-Nixon bill, which passed the House
last year by a roll-call vote of 319 to 56.
In addition, we recommend that the espionage laws of the United
States be substantially strengthened by early laws of the new Con-
gress, with special attention to means for returning aliens to other
countries upon conviction for crimes against the United States. We
also recommend that the penalties for those properly cited for con-
tempt of Congress be increased to a minimum of 5 years in prison and
a $5,000 fine.
We further suggest that our immigration laws and passport-visa
regulations be carefully studied to determine what changes are neces-
sary to prevent disloyal elements from entering this country and re-
maining here.
Finally, we recommend that the new Congress appropriate adequate
funds for expanding the staff for the House Committee on Un-Ameri-
can Activities so it can step up its action in disclosing the identity and
functions of un-American elements both in and out of public office in
this country.
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